Study: Patient Power Works
Cigna has released the latest in a series of reports on its experience with consumer driven health care programs (CDHP). It cites the key findings as:
- Immediate and sustainable cost savings: CDHP medical costs are 14% less than traditional plans the first year, cumulative cost savings rise to 19% in the second year, 23% in the third year and 26% in the fourth year.
- Higher levels of care: People with CIGNA Choice Fund received recommended care at compliance rates that were similar or better than those covered by traditional CIGNA health plans. Key indicators such as use of preventive care, evidence-based care and disease management program participation were measurably better among those in CIGNA CDHPs than those in PPOs and HMOs.
- Less cost for those with chronic conditions: Medical cost trend was substantially less for CIGNA Choice Fund customers with hypertension (27% less), joint disease (21% less), and diabetes (15% less), than for individuals with either of those diseases in traditional CIGNA health plans. According to the study data, these cost savings were achieved without sacrificing care.
Very good. And very persuasive. But all of it is being ignored by Congress — unfortunately.
I agree with Tom. The Democrats in Congress are very hostile to consumer directed care. No one seems to know why.
The evidence keeps piling up for anyone who is interested in evidence Clearly, not everyone is.
The Obama Administration and this Congress wants to destroy HSA’s precisely BECAUSE they work. Can you imagine the middle class in control of their own health care and…….their own healthcare dollars?
Stephen C — don’t you think it’s because what Congress really wants is the power to control all the healthcare dollars? And they want to expand the role of government? The book, “Bend the Health Care Trend” is all about CDHP and lowering insurance costs. The authors — Mark S.Gaunya and Jennifer A. Borislow — are passionate about CDHP and employer wellness (as well as noted experts in the field of CDHP). It talks about the simple CDHP concepts: transparency, responsibility and accountability for the consumer. I’m pretty sure ObamaCare has none of that.
It’s a phony study. They exclude anything that cost’s more then 50,000. That’s where the real cost drivers are.